Research on the Problem of Old-Age Care in China From the Perspective of Ethics

Cuixia LIN, Yue YUE, Keneng LIN, Qianli MA, Zeying Wang

Abstract


The elders are an important driving force for economic development, social progress and national prosperity. The care of the elderly, as a universal world problem, is related to their dignity, human rights and social stability. Since 2000, China has stepped into the threshold of an aging society. With the increasing aging population and the influence of population, economy, culture, politics and other uniquely national conditions, the conflicts and problems over providing for the aged are more complicated and severe. It has become an urgent issue in China how to solve a series of ethical dilemmas of providing for the aged caused by the aging population.
Firstly, we use the data of the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) for positivist research, and then adopt the ordered Probit regression model for analysis. Secondly, we present and discuss the existing ethical problems of providing for the aged in society: firstly, the unfairness of allocation of resources in the society for providing for the aged; secondly, the dilution of concept of filial piety in family; thirdly, the weakening of the trend of respecting the elderly in society; last but not least, the lack of good in old-age security system. In view of the above-mentioned ethical problems of providing for the aged in China, we propose some solutions, namely, fairly distributing old-age resources in society; promoting the cultural tradition of filial piety; improving the system of endowment policy. Focusing on the ethical issues of old-age care, this paper provides some ethical thoughts for the solution of them.


Keywords


China; Old-age care; Ethical issues; Aging; Elderly health

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/12994

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